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10/17 02:18 CDT It's over: Canada ends England's 41-match unbeaten streak in
women's rugby by 24-21
It's over: Canada ends England's 41-match unbeaten streak in women's rugby by
24-21
TORONTO (AP) --- England's unprecedented 41-game unbeaten run was broken by
Canada 24-21 and witnessed by the biggest crowd in North American women's rugby
on Friday.
Canada, unable to handle England's scrum, trailed 14-5 at halftime and 21-12
after more than an hour and didn't settle a compelling WXV contest until a
78th-minute try by Shoshanah Seumanutafa.
"We really had to grind it out and find a way," Canada captain Sophie de Goede
said. "That's kind of the DNA of our team."
England suffered its first loss since the 2022 Women's Rugby World Cup final,
its only previous defeat in 72 matches since 2019.
"Sometimes the flipped coin doesn't go on the side you want it to go," England
captain Meg Jones said. "It's just the nature of the beast."
England showed vulnerability last month at home where it drew with Canada
26-26, ending its 39-match winning streak.
That effort gave Canada confidence for the return match at home, including the
availability of world player of the year De Goede, rested from its last match,
a loss in France, and wings Asia Hogan-Rochester and Alysha Corrigan after
injuries. The hope drew 18,621 spectators, 7,000 more than the previous biggest
crowd for a standalone women's match in North America.
England should have scored first but Claudia Moloney-MacDonald dropped the ball
over the tryline . Then Canada used numbers after a Zoe Harrison yellow card
for fullback Savannah Bauder to score in a three-on-one.
England stumbles continued with three turnovers in the Canada 22, two on the
tryline. But after Canada lock Laetitia Royer was sin-binned, England powered
ahead with tries by Maddie Feaunati and Harrison before halftime.
Canada closed to 14-12 in the second half when Corrigan collected her own
grubber kick and celebrated before scoring. But England moved further ahead
21-12 after 12 phases when prop Sarah Bern smashed over.
Canada was plagued by forward passes but stayed calm. A missed penalty
touch-finder by England was countered and prop DaLeaka Menin, one of three
Canada survivors from its last win over England 10 years ago, plowed over to
cut the gap to two again.
Another England clearance was returned by Canada from its half and De Goede and
Gabrielle Senft lined up Seumanutafa to beat the cover to the left corner flag
and cap a milestone night in Canadian rugby.
They go again in Ottawa next Friday.
In Hamilton, New Zealand began a three-game home stand against France with a
12-try, 81-12 demolition job.
Winger Shyrah Tuliau-Tua'a scored four tries in her home stadium, and there
were doubles for scrumhalf Maia Joseph, winger Ayesha Leti-I'iga and Amy du
Plessis. Joseph opened the Black Ferns' account from a Du Plessis break inside
the first minute and they led 43-0 at halftime and 60-0 before France scored.
France has two more tests in Whangarei and Christchurch.
In Sydney, Australia took advantage of Scotland ill-discipline to enjoy a 56-12
romp. The back three scored five of Australia's seven tries and winger Amelia
Whitaker shone with two from her own half, including an intercept on her own 22.
___
See AP's full rugby coverage here
